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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WESt  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  R72-4503 


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V 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notas  tachnlquas  at  bibliographlquas 


The  Institute  hat  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'll  lui  a  At4  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atra  uniques  du 
poin<^  de  vue  bibllographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


1 
t 


1 
P 

0 

f 


n 


n 


n 


D 
D 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pf^liicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gAographiquas  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


rianches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tigh ;  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la  -'■■ 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  tiuded  during  restoration  may 
appeer  with  n  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutiee 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  4tA  filmies. 


D 


D 


a 


D 
D 
D 
D 
D 

n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


r~r|   Pages  damaged/ 


Pages  endommag^es  '- 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicui6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dAcolortes,  tacheties  ou  piquAes 

Pages  detached/ 

Pages  ddtach^es  ) 

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Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualiti  in6gale  de  I'impresslon 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
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slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  per  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  4t6  filmies  A  nouveau  de  fagon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


b 
t 

s 
o 

f 

s 


T 
s 
T 
v\ 

d 

ei 
b( 
ri 
re 
rr 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  et  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


c6X 


30X 


V 

□ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


a4X 


28X 


32X 


tails 
I  du 
odifier 
une 
mage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  ccver  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
&ion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — *>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

IN^aps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grfice  d  la 
g4n6rosit6  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
puhliques  du  Canada 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  I'exempleire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmds  en  Rommen^ant 
par  te  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  solt  par  Ie  second 
plat,  salon  ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commenpant  psi  ta 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selo.i  Ie 
cas:  Ie  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  Ie 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  filmd  d  p&rtir 
de  I'angle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  Ie  mdthode. 


rata 

0 


telure, 
id 


3 


12X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

DC 


COMME 


til 


MR.    J. 


My  dear  m 

Al)8t'noe  a 
Tented  me 
letter.  Altl 
private  oue 
opinion  as  t 
cial  union  a 
avail  niyscll 
a  public  rep 
ji\  order  tin 
informed  of 
this  point 
letter  ia  eon 
the  foUowiii 

"My  ol).i< 

'dace,  to.  coi 

nd  benetic 

ting  witl 

second 

on  if  yt 

om  (ni  yoi 

jt  prepare 

In  attem 

pointed  qu 

should  be  i\ 

it  such  a  I 

move  di)ub 

bo  taken  to 

crimtnevcia 

Impressed 

which  you 

to  say  to  yi 

the  laotiv 

among  Ca 

union  ia  tli 

the  mainti 

Canadian 

within  till 

pioHsed  w 

i-exult  fro: 

country. 

progress  i 

growth. 

gance  of 

entirely  jt 

the  sou  re 

of  great  n 


DOES    ANNEXATION    FOLLOV^^? 


COMMERCIAL  UNION  AND  BRITISH  CONNECTION. 


'  / 


AN  OPEN  LETTER  FROM   ERASTUS  WIMAN 


fj. 


V 


MR.    J.    REDPATH 


— TO— 

DOUGALI.,    EDITOR 
"WITNESS." 


OF    THE    MONTREAL 


My  Dear  Mk.  Doi'gail: 

Abst'noe  aiirt  prossuro  of  work  have  pre- 
Tented  uie  sooner  iiUHWcriug  your  roceiit 
letter.  Altboiifih  your  coinnuinication  is  Ji 
private  one,  and  seek.s  to  elieit  my  i>rivate 
opinion  as  to  tlie  eventual  result  of  comuuT- 
cial  union  as  affecting  British  <'onnecti<>M,  I 
avail  myself  of  your  invitation  to  furnish  yon 
a  public  reply  for  the  columns  of  youi'  paper, 
IK'-  order  that  otliers  beside  yourself  may  he 
informed  of  how  the  mattta-  i^  regarded  from 
tills  point  of  view.  Tlie  lay-note  of  your 
letter  is  contained  in  the^ closing  sentence  of 
the  following  paragraph  :— 

"jVty  object  in  writing  you  is,  in  the  lirst 
■•dace,  to  eoniaratulate  you  on  the  itnpurtance 
ml  beneiicence  of  tlie  cause  j'O!'  are  advo- 
*^ing  Avith   suc'.i  vigor  and  ability,  and.  in 
second  place,  to  ask  you  for  my  own  editi- 
on if  you  really  thiidc  there  is  standing 
om  on  your  platform  for  ''amvtians  who  are 
)t  prepa'i'l  to  lor.sake  Britlsli  allegiance.  " 

In  attempting  to  reply  to  this  direct  and 
pointed  (iuesti«)n,  it  is  important  that  there 
should  be  no  amlngulty.  foi'  it  is  evident,  tliat 
if  such  a  reply  couhl  be  framed  as  would  rv- 
move  (tpubt  on  this  point,  a  great  step  would 
be  taken  to  promote  in  Canada  the  cansi-  of 
commercial  \iniou  with  the  United  Htates. 
Impre.>-8ed  with  the  importance  of  the  task 
whi(!h  you  have  committeit  to  me,  I  lieg,  first, 
to  say  to  you,  that  so  iar  as  I  can  fathom  it, 
the  motive  whicli  prompts  tlie  movement 
among  Canadians  here  toward  commercial 
union  is  tlie  good  ot  Canada,  comldned  with 
the  maintenance  of  Britit-h  connection.  No 
Canadian  can  reside  for  any  lenuth  of  time 
within  the  United  States, and  fail  to  Im^  iin- 
piessed  with  the  ariva'ntages  which  w<miM 
j-CMilt  from  a  busiue.-s  connection  with  this 
country.  Every  day  bring*  forth  evidence  of 
progress  In  all  that  contributes  to  njatorial 
growth.  The  llherality,  nay,  the  extrava- 
gance of  the  pfople  of  this  country  seem 
entirely  Just  itied  by  the  constant  growth  in 
the  Bources  of  income ;  in  the  develojiment 
of  great  natural  ro8curi3e8 ;  the  profits  from 


vast  bii.sine.ss  entorprise.s,  and  the  .steady  nc- 
c'lmulatioiis  in  monetary"  institutiouB  and 
Governmental  revenues;  and  also  in  the 
rapidly  increasing  population  of  tlie  best  elasa 
of  imuiigration,  to  which  the  wliole  world  in 
contriliuting.  With  this  marvelhms  jnocea- 
siou  of  circumstances  daily  in  view,  it  is  im- 
possible not  to  feel  tliat  our  beh>ved  Canada 
ought  in  some  way  to  more  largely  benetit 
than  she  does  by  the  growth,  right  at  her 
own  borders,  of  a  nation  so  powerful,  .«o  ri(^h, 
and  .so  mruh  in  need  of  all  that  she  has  to 
oHer.  This  feeling  is  all  I  he  more  constant 
becrinse  ot  the  kuowiedgf)  that  Canada  ia 
riciierin  natural  resoun-es  than  tiie  United 
states  theiui-olves  ;  that  in  her  fo/ests,  flsher- 
ies,  H«'lil8  and  mines  are  riches,  now  almost 
dormant,  that  Avould  yicdd  a  return  of  the 
most  satisfactory  kind,  if  once  the  barrier 
that  divides  the  two  countries  were  to  bo 
oiditcratcd.  If  this  could  be  d<m>i  without 
sundering  the  lu'.  tliat  binds  Canad.i  to  Great 
Britain;  if.  Avitliont  sitcriticing  the  pra«;ti<ial 
political  indetienuence  (►f  our  native  land,  and 
without  imperilling  her  future  in  the  ex- 
periment which  in  a  Gov(?rnmeiit  by  the 
peoph)  is  here  being  slowly  and  not  altogether 
satisfactorily  worked  out,  surely  this  pro- 
position couldhardly  fail  to  meet  with  favor. 
No  mode  by  which  this  couhl  bo  done  has 
ever  ^■eellled  possible  exc(^pt  the  admission  ot 
Canada  iiit<»  the  Union,  and  th**  abncsgation  by 
her  of  her  political  existence.  That  this  waa 
n^pugnaiit  to  tlie  great  majority  ot  Canadian 
residi^nts  in  tiio  Unit<Ml  Statt^s,  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  no  movement  of  this  char- 
actor  has  ever  been  ai>parent.  Between 
seAcn  hundred  and  lifty  thousand  and  a 
milU<m  Canadians  are  in  active  busines.s  in 
thL-i  <M)untiy  ;  yet  no  organization,  no  sugges- 
tion, or  even  lndivi«hial  expressions  in  tho 
direction  of  annexaiion  are  called  to  mind.. 
For  my  own  part,  though  in  most  frequent 
communication  with  hundreds  of  my  country- 
men, I  cannot  now  recall  a  siuffle  instance 
where  a  political  separation  was  favored  ;  ob> 


% 


7 


•COMMERCIAL  UNION  AM^  BRITISH  CONNECTION. 


the  contrary,  the  almost  universal  peutlment 
of  Canadians  in  the  Htates  is  that  of  loyalty 
to  the  British  crown.  The  growing  trouble 
arising  out  of  the  tislury  «1i8i)ntti  has  Im- 
f)ros80(1  Canadian  residents  witli  lt«  extnMiie 
danger,  because  of  the  freijueut  utteiancf.  of 
of  hcntimj^nts  very  unfavorable  to  fanaila,— 
sentiments  whicrh  lind  expi'ession  in  the 
Retaliatory  Bill— which,  <(mHiderln(r  tlie 
magnitude  of  the  interests  involved,  wan  a 
measure  of  the  most  radie.-l  character,  ami 
threatened  most  serious  r<'sult«.  Almost 
«tinuilan(M>u8)y  with  the  passage  of  this  l>i  1, 
Mr.  Butterworth  introduced  into  Congress 
a  measure  calculated  not  only  to  entirely 
remove  uU  existing  dilflcultles,  settUi  all  out- 
standing disputes,  but  absolutely  to  throw 
down  all  the  barriers  existing  between 
Canada  ami  the  Unite<l  States  Just,  as  soon  as 
corresponding  legislation  could  be  obtained 
In  tl;e  Dominion.  The  possibility  of  tiu^  ])a8- 
suge  of  such  a  lueasure  seemed  at  tirst  in 
doubt,  but  inquiry  showed  that  its  pro>i)ects 
■were  (excellent;  that  it  seemed  to  have  at- 
tractions for  the  leading  nx^n  of  both  parties 
and  unquestionably  has  the  favor  and  hearty 
support  of  the  President  and  his  Cabinet. 
The  transition  from  a  threatened  disruption 
o.  the  friendly  relations  existing  between 
the  two  countries  to  a  condition  of  i»erma- 
neiit  peace ;  the  expectation  t'  at,  tbrotigh 
tliis  measure,  all  the  advantages  which  Inter- 
state  communication  has  yielded  to  this 
country  could  be  at  once  conveyed  to  Canada 
with  a  revelation  full  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance. No  thought  of  ynnexaiion  or  any 
change  whatever  in  the  political  status  of  the 
two  countries  prompted  the  ineasure,  nor,  so 
far  as  I  can  discover,  has  contributed  to  its 
advocacy. 

Of  course  those  who  favor  annexation  may 
also  lavor  commercial  union,  and  there  are 
doubtless  a  large  number,  esjjecially  among 
thinking  citizens  of  the  great  Republiis.  wh  > 
favor  the  movem<!nt  for  unrestricttHl  reci. 
procity  in  the  oxpectatlcm  that  a  politi(;aI 
union  may  eventually  follow.  But  that  thiw 
is  the  impelling  motive  in  tliose  mo>t  a<'tive 
in  promoting  the  movement  on  either  side  of 
the  l)order,  I  for  one  most  strenuously  deny. 
On  the  conti-ary,  it  is  evident  to  those  who 
at  all  investigate  the  matter,  that  one  of  the 
most  potent  influences  which  would  help  for- 
ward an  annexation  movement  is  immediately 
removed  by  comm^cial  union.  The  only  ar. 
gnmeut  of  any  weight  which  the  Canadian 
annexation  can  employ  Is  the  great  material 
advantages  that  would  flow  from  a  p<4itlc9.i 
alliance  with  the  Be^iblic.  All  tne  advantages 
which  are  possible  to  a  political  union  would 
be  possible  to  a  commercial  union,  and  hence 
^he  cause  for  a  political  change  is  entirely  re- 
moved. The  growth  of  the  annexation  senti- 
ment In  Canada  has  certainly  been  marked 
Where  years  ago  it  was  referred  to  with  bated 


breath,  lt.1  advantages  are  now  not  infre- 
quently nialnta  n<'d  with  vlg'T  and  force, 
Hven  ill  public  places;  and  the  ailu-ions  to  it 
in  editoi'ials  and  communications  are  fre- 
quent and  pronounced,  especially  in  the 
news]»apers  of  Ontario  ami  Nova  .Seot  a.  But 
the  one  stock  a'gument  in  its  fa .  or  is  the  ad- 
vantage that  ivoiild  come  to  (!nnada  from  the 
enlatged  market  which  would  thus  be  a1- 
for.led  for  her  natural  ami  manula('tuied  pro- 
ducts. Nowa<1ay8  no  one  argutis  as  to  the  su- 
perioilty  of  the  Hepublicau  system  of  govern- 
ment uvvr  tlu!  system  of  rtisiHuihible  govern- 
ment which  Canada  eiijovs.  Few,  if  any,  in 
Cana'ia  believe  tliat  iii.iveisai  suttrarfe  is  an 
unmixed  bles'^ing,  ur  tliat  an  elective  Judl- 
cirry  and  numerous  other  pecubaritlt^s  of  the 
American  system,  are  to  be  pn  terred  to  the 
system  which  regulates  public  aflairs  in  Ca- 
iiada.  The  sole  ui'd  only  justltlcation  that 
would  enable  a  native  of  Canada  to  forswear 
his  birtliright  or  a  British  subject  to  t'ansfer 
his  alleiriaiuu;  from  his  beloveil  CJium'u  for  a 
(Citizenship  in  the  American  republic,  would 
be  the  prospective  advantage  to  his  pocket, 
book  which  would  follow  a  transition  so 
marked  and  so  violent.  But  if  commercial 
union  brings  in  its  irain  all  the  advantages 
tliat  would  folhiw  annexation,  what  justitlca. 
tton  is  there  for  longer  di-ciissing  a  political 
union  that  would  be  truthful  i.1  only  political 
sui(nde !  If,  therefore,  it  is  desirable  to  re- 
move the  on' V  argument,  vhe  only  justiticati<  n 
that  exists  lor  a  dissolution  of  the  bond  that 
binds  together  Great  Britain  and  Canada, 
then  th.!  advocates  of  commercial  union  are 
the  strongest  advocates  for  a  continuation  of 
that  bond.  Dissatisfaction  in  Nova  Scotia 
with  the  results  of  (confederation ;  want  of 
success  in  the  middle?  provincces  by  the  vast 
mass  of  agriculturists  and  all  dependent  on 
them;  and  the  excessive  tension  which  pre- 
vails lu  iSIauitoba,  are  all  relieveii  by  the  pos- 
sibilitj  of  comr'ercial  union  with  the  United 
States.  If  all  this  and  much  more  in  the  same 
dinKtion  is  accomplished  by  this  movement, 
suTcly  it  is  a  contribution  towa'd  the  main- 
tenance of  British  connection  greater  than 
anything  else  that  could  be  imagined.  What 
jther  event  in  the  enumeration  of  possible 
events  can  be  named  which  would  more  fully 
strengthen  the  love  for  one's  native  land  than 
to  see  every  interest  therein  j)ro8per  ?  "What 
stronger  tie  is  posssible  than  that  which  Joins 
self  interest  to  the  public  good,  and  makes 
both  motives  move  in  the  diretition  of  perpe- 
tuating existing  political  conditions,  and  sus- 
taining existing  connections  under  which 
peace,  entire  freedom  and  prosperity  are  possi- 
ble] The  advocates  of  commercial  union 
claim  that  all  this  would  result  from  the 
adoption  of  their  plan  for  the  settlement  of 
existing  dilBcuUles,  and  on  that  claim  make  It 
clear  that  British  connection  Is  In  no  respect 
either  weakened  or  Imperilled  by  its  adoptloil- 


COMMERCIAL  UNION  AND  liRITISH  CONNECTION, 


The  principles  underlying  coramerc'al  union 
are  precisely  the  same  as  those  which  existtid 
under  the  reciprocity  treaty  from  1854  to 
1866.  The  only  dltterenc'e  is,  that  while  the 
tree  InterclianKe  of  artl«;les  was  limited  to 
tlie  natural  jiroducts,  It  is  now  proposed  that 
DO  restrictiim  wliatever  sV.oulrt  exist;  and 
that  al  articles,  wliether  natural,  manufac- 
tured, or  jinpoited,  sliould  lie  as  free  of  in- 
tert'liaiiKe  between  tli©  Ignited  Stated  and 
Canada  astliey  are  now  between  Quebec  and 
Ontario,  or  betwe\'n  New  York  ainl  New 
J^r^ey.  Du'inKthe  twelve  years  of  tlie  re- 
ciprocity tr«;atytIi<Te  was  far  less  tallc  of  an 
uexatiim  than  before  or  since;  and  all  will 
reraenil)er  the  siniultaneous  burst  of  loyalty 
which  met  the  sufTRe-tion  in  1  SCO  that  Can- 
ada could  by  a  rep'  al  of  that  treaty  be  forced 
to  forswear  its  loyalty  to  (ireat  Britain.  If 
during  the  period  of  the  prevalence  of  the 
treaty  no  sentiment  prevailed  for  annexation, 
what  justitlcation  exists  for  tlie  a8Hertion 
that  in  'Huiseiiuence  of  its  renewal  on  a 
broader  ba.sis  a  ciesire  for  annexation  woiihl 
follow?  The  inference  from  experien<'H  iH  ill 
a  precisely  opposite  direction,  and  furnishes 
atiotlier  argument  in  support  of  the  claim  of 
the  advocates  of  commercial  union  that  In  no 
respect  does  it  impair  or  threaten  Biitisth  con- 
nection. 

Th(!  <inly  force  to  the  argument  that  British 
coniuM  tiou  is  threatcnetl  by  (commercial  union 
is  found  in  the  fact  that  discrimination  against 
British  po(k1s  would  be  neci^ssary,  as  com- 
paicd  with  the  free  admission  of  American 
products.  It  is  true  that  this  savors  of  a 
preference  for  American  over  tritisli  con- 
nection, but  Canada  has  for  some  yeais  been 
taxing  Britisa  gootls  as  much  as  she  would 
have  to  tax  them  under  commercial  unl«)n. 
The  recent  advance  by  the  Fmance  Minister 
of  the  duty  on  iron  Is  a  discrimination  quite  as 
marked  in  its  practical  effei  t  as  anything  else 
would  be  if  commercial  union  were  to  go  into 
operation  to-morrow.  Indeed  it  would  look 
as  if  the  Finance  Minister  were  making 
preparations  for  commercial  union  by  raising 
the  taviff  on  so  essential  an  element  as  iron  to 
a  rate  almost  as  high  as  that  of  the  American 
impost,  while  the  practical  discrimination 
against  Great  Britain  in  this  matter  might 
very  well  be  cited  as  an  experiment  jtist  to 
see  how  such  a  movement  applied  on  a  larger 
scale  would  be  regarded.  Yet  no  one  accuses 
the  Finance  Minister  of  disloyalty.  The 
average  duty  In  the  United  States  over  and 
aboy«  tliat  pievaili^g  in  Canada  is  about  ten 


per  cent.  If  under  Commercial  Union  th« 
United  States  should  reduce  its  taritf  live 
per  cent,  and  Canaila  advance  her  tarlflf  tlvo 
per  cent,  so  as  to  e(iuallz«>  bot'i,  the  result  to 
Great  Britain  wiuild  be  a  iKtsitlve  advantage. 
A  larger  quantity  of  goods  would  be  absorbed 
in  the  Tiiitcd  States  in  consequeno  ((f  this 
reduction  than  would  be  lost  by  tlie  enhanced 
duty  in  Canada,  wlille  the  prosperity  and 
purcluiHiug  power  of  the  Canadian  people 
would  be  80  augmented  in  conse()uence  of 
belter  i)rice8,  enlarjicd  markets,  and  Increased 
communications,  that  a  brcMid-minded  British 
merchant  would  soon  see  that  tree  trade  on 
the  coutimnit  of  America  would  in  no  respect 
(litter  from  the  free  tradt*  with  the  rest  of  the 
WKild,  which  he  so  miicl  loves,  and  under 
wlii<;h  he  has  so  much  prospenMl. 

,My  own  c(»nvicti(m  is,  from  very  careful 
thought  on  this  subject,  that  notliing  will (!ou- 
tribnte  to  a  greater  degree  to  a  iterpetuation 
of  British  t!i»nnection  than  a  cl()8(!  commercial 
allianct^  with  the  United  States,  and  therefore 
I  answ(^r  most  gladlv  Jonr  (luestion,  that 
there  is  ample  ro  m  on  the  platform  of  the 
(MtmuKTcial  unionist  not  only  for  your  good 
self  and  all  yonr  friends,  but  for  every  Cana- 
dian who  loves  his  native  land,  and  values  as 
one  of  his  chief  blessings  a  connection  with 
th<»  dear  mother  country.  That  you  were 
long  ago  a  strong  advocate  for  commercial 
union  I  am  delighted  to  8e()  from  an  article 
Irom  your  pen  wliich  appears  in  the  ('ontem- 
porarij  Review  in  1885,  in  a  very  able  paper 
(m  "Anglo-Saxon  Alliance"  the  following 
sentence  appears,  which  is  so  appropriate  to 
tin;  present  time  that  I  close  my  letter  with 
the  (flotation : 

"Canada  while  she  is  unwilling  to  abnegate 
her  British  allegiance,  is  unable  permanently 
to  renounce  jier  paramount  int(^rest  which 
lies  in  C(nuni(;rce  with  the  United  States, 
along  whose  border  her  p(tpulati()ns  form  a 
fringe  three  thousand  miles  long  and  about 
a  hundred  inll(;s  broad,  stretched  along  a 
single  isothermal,  and  having  in  consequence 
no  ade(iuate  variety  of  climateH  or  products. 
That  plan  only  ivoiild  fully  nolve  tier  problfm 
that  would  secure  to  lifr  at  once  her  Rritigh 
citiztnuli  ip  and  the  freeM  and  fullest  inter- 
course  with  her  all-important  neighbor.^' 

I  claim  most  respectfully  that  the  plan  as 
implied  in  commercial  union  fultUs  In  the 
highest  form  all  that  your  loyalty  to  England 
and  your  interest  in  Canada  hoped  might 
come  when  you  wrote  the  foregoing  lines. 
With  much  regard  to  you,  I  am,  • 
Truly  yours, 

EBASTUS  WIMAN. 


